Jim Charlton Memorial Award

Jim Charlton of Charlton Kennels and Farm
October 4, 1934 - August 22, 2004

It is with a heavy heart that we inform the Golden Bond community that Jim Charlton died this past August. As many of you know, Jim and his wife, Ellie, own Charlton Kennels on Sauvie Island and have always been huge supporters of Golden Bond Rescue. For years, Jim gave selflessly of himself, his skills, his staff, and his own financial and business resources in the care and training of our Golden Bond Rescue dogs. He never asked for compensation, and his heart and kennel were always open to whatever our needs were.

Jim was a complete outdoorsman who raised and trained Goldens for 35 years. "Jim had a national reputation as an effective and gentle trainer of retrievers. He was always more interested in training a dog to be more than just a retrieving machine. His Goldens were his friends and companions with which to share a sandwich and keep company on a tractor ride."

Jim collapsed suddenly after a day of salmon fishing in British Columbia... a perfect way for a man like Jim to leave this earth. And one can only imagine how many Goldens were there to meet him at the Rainbow Bridge.

Because of how special Jim Charlton was, Golden Bond is initiating the Jim Charlton Memorial Award, which will recognize annually a volunteer who most closely approximates this generous and compassionate attitude and ethic. The first award, in the form of a plaque, will be given at the 2005 Golden Bond picnic. The main plaque, recognizing the recipient, will hang at Charlton Kennels, and the individual receiving the award will be given a plaque as well.

"Jim Charlton was a man who finished his life standing tall and with few regrets. Every day was treated as a gift, every man, woman and dog he met, a friend."

(Quotes are from Jim Charlton's obituary.)

Read about the recipients of the Jim Charlton Memorial Award.

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